7 things you didn’t realize your phone can do

The capabilities of smartphones are seemingly limitless — and but peoples’ use of their gadgets usually stays restricted to areas they already learn about. A smartphone can accomplish that rather more than simply surf the net, make video calls, play music, stream video, and ship texts.

Additionally: The most effective telephones proper now

One huge drawback is that there at the moment are so many options packed right into a smartphone that discovering them, remembering them, and utilizing them is a real problem. A few of these hidden smartphone options will help enhance your productiveness and make on a regular basis duties simpler. If there’s one thing you’ll want to get achieved, there is a fairly good probability your smartphone will help you do it.

To deliver your smartphone use to the following stage, we have rounded up some smartphone options that you simply won’t learn about, however that are positive to make on a regular basis duties simpler. 

1. Scan paperwork 

When you have ever needed to signal a bodily doc after which submit it digitally afterwards, you know the way a lot of a problem it may be to print out, scan, after which electronic mail the doc. The excellent news is that you simply now not have to show to your clunky scanner. With each iPhones and Android gadgets, you should use the smartphone to scan a doc and export it. 

Additionally: How you can scan and fax out of your iPhone

On iPhones, all it’s a must to do is open your Notes app, click on the digital camera icon, after which hit the “scan paperwork” button, and also you’re set. On an Android gadget, the method is much more seamless. All it’s a must to do is open your digital camera app, hover it over the doc, and faucet “scan doc” for Pixel telephones, or the yellow “T” icon for Samsung gadgets.

2. Begin your automobile 

Earlier than you get your hopes up, your capability to make use of your cellphone as a key or car-starter will rely solely on the mannequin, make, and 12 months of your automobile. 

Fortunately, a number of vehicles have any such performance. Two the reason why you would possibly wish to make the most of this characteristic embrace the flexibility to remotely begin your automobile from the consolation of your individual residence or setting the automobile temperature simply the way in which you prefer it earlier than you get in.

Additionally: The most effective automobile devices

Should you’re on this characteristic, lookup your automobile on the net and see if there’s an app that may assist. For instance, Ford has an app referred to as FordPass, which permits Ford automobile house owners to unlock and lock vehicles, remotely begin the automobile, and even schedule distant begins from the app. Android gadgets have a characteristic referred to as digital key on choose smartphones, which works in tandem together with your automobile producer’s app or the producer’s electronic mail to make your cellphone a digital key.

3. Show you how to change channels 

There are few issues extra irritating than on the brink of watch a present, sitting on the sofa, settling down together with your blanket and snacks, after which realizing you may’t discover the distant. As soon as this realization hits, it’s a must to dig to seek out the distant, solely to seek out out that the batteries are flat. To spare you this bother, many TVs are able to syncing to your smartphone to show your gadget right into a distant. 

When you have an iPhone, you should use it to manage appropriate TVs together with Roku or Fire TVs, or an Apple TV 4K. It is as simple as being logged on to the identical community because the TV, going to the screen-share possibility, after which hitting the distant icon. If you wish to use your iPhone as a distant management, we now have a useful how-to.

Android smartphones have the identical functionality with Android TVs. All it’s a must to do is open the Google TV app, faucet the distant icon on the underside proper, after which scan gadgets and select your gadget to finish pairing, according to Android. As well as, Android has TV distant apps for Roku and Fire TVs, and even third-party distant apps for Apple TV.

4. Measure stuff

Haven’t got a tape measure? No drawback. You’ll be able to take measurements of something you’ll want to in your cellphone utilizing your smartphone’s digital camera and AR know-how. All it’s a must to do is drop some extent initially of the thing you are measuring and pin one other level on the finish to get the precise measurement.

Additionally: 8 cool methods to make use of LiDAR in your iPhone and iPad

iPhones include the Apple Measure app preloaded, however in the event you’re an Android consumer, do not fret. You’ll be able to merely use Measure Up, Google’s instrument that allows you to do what the Apple Measure app does, however in your cellphone’s browser as a substitute of by way of an app. 

5. Take images for you

Have you ever ever needed to take an image, however had nobody to take it for you? The surroundings is gorgeous and your outfit is ideal, however you may’t spot anybody round — so your photograph alternative is ruined. Certain there’s your cellphone’s timer, however that may be close to ineffective as a result of it’s a must to set all the things up for only one photograph to be taken. Fortunately, Lens Buddy is an app made to resolve that drawback. 

Additionally: Shaky images? You are holding your cellphone unsuitable. Do this

With Lens Buddy, you may absolutely customise the timer, together with the velocity and intervals of the images, so you may get the right shot. As an alternative of getting to arrange a ten second timer to your cellphone solely to snap one photograph, you may set a timer that takes many images over a custom-made interval (ex: each three seconds) for so long as you need. With Lens Buddy, you will have a number of choices to select from from one session as a substitute of only one. The app is barely out there on iOS. Nonetheless, there are camera-timer options within the Google Play Retailer, corresponding to Selfer, which does the identical factor.

6. Monitor your coronary heart fee 

Regardless of the plethora of smartwatches and health trackers in the marketplace, it’s potential to watch your coronary heart fee with simply your smartphone. Coronary heart-rate monitoring apps use your again digital camera and flash to find out how a lot blood is pumping via your pores and skin, and get your coronary heart fee via a observe referred to as photoplethysmography. To get your outcomes inside seconds, all it’s a must to do is place your finger over the digital camera and flash. 

Additionally: The most effective health rings

These cell heart-rate monitoring apps don’t come together with your cellphone as commonplace, however could be downloaded in your smartphone’s app retailer. To determine which one to obtain, I like to recommend going to the app retailer and downloading a free app with essentially the most constructive critiques. There are numerous perks to repeatedly monitoring your coronary heart fee, together with being extra in-tune with you physique. I personally used certainly one of these apps to watch my irregular coronary heart fee and, finally, obtained my coronary heart situation recognized.

7. Maintain your medical insurance coverage card 

Should you personal a smartphone, you might be seemingly aware of the idea of a digital pockets. With a digital pockets, you may add playing cards, boarding passes, tickets, and extra to your smartphone for straightforward entry when paying or coming into sure occasions. 

Additionally: How you can add your driver’s license to Apple Pockets

However do you know that you may additionally add your medical health insurance card? I like this characteristic as a result of my pesky medical health insurance card at all times will get caught to different playing cards in my pockets simply if you want it. 

Additionally: How you can add your transit card to Apple Pockets

In your comfort, many insurance coverage suppliers, together with Cigna and Aetna, permit for cell entry to your insurance coverage card. All it’s a must to do is obtain the app to your insurance coverage supplier and check in. There, each iPhone and Android customers will discover your cell medical health insurance card, which you’ll then current at any healthcare supplier. If you’re an iPhone consumer, you get the added perk of including it to your Apple Pockets. 

Bonus characteristic

Simply as a reminder for these of you who may need forgotten: in addition to working as a compass, flashlight, TV distant, and 1000’s of different features that you may obtain as apps, your smartphone may also… make calls. Sure, actually!